CHRIST, A FIRE.

"Behold, the Lord will come with fire." (Isa. 66:15)

I.

The Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles in the appearance of fire, and thus enlightened them, inflamed them, and transformed them into other men. Reflect how much you stand in need of this heavenly fire, since you are so cold in the service of God, and so covered with the dross of earthly affections. You stand in need of being warmed and purified. "Thy silver is earned into dross — I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dross, and I will take away all thy tin." (Isa. 1:22, 25) Endeavor to merit this kindness from your Lord, when He visits you in the Sacrament.

II.

In the Eucharist, Christ is properly a fire, in regard to the soul, but concealed under a cloud. "The Lord thy God," says Moses, "is a consuming fire." (Deut. 4:24) It consumes the chaff of earthly affections, purifies the soul from its dross, expels its tepidity and enlightens its darkness. "It purifies the soul," as St. Gregory says, "from the rust of sin." The Eucharist is like the hot coal, taken from the altar, that purified the lips of Isaiah and endowed Him with the spirit of prophecy. Be convinced that it will produce its effects in you. if you be properly disposed.

III.

These dispositions, as has been already remarked, in regard to the Apostles, were retirement, constant prayer, mutual concord, and the company and protection of the blessed Virgin. Imitate them in these dispositions, and take care that after having been warmed by the influence of the Holy Ghost, you do not return to your former state of coldness or tepidity.

DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. I.

I.

The time which God had ordained having expired, and the Apostles being duly disposed by prayer, the Holy Ghost descended upon them whilst "they were all together in the same place." (Acts 2:1) Learn, hence, to be constant in prayer, to be united with your brethren, and to avoid singularity, if you wish to be visited by the Holy Ghost. Besides, He came suddenly, because His visitations have no fixed time, and therefore ought to be sought for without intermission, and to be waited for with long expectation.

II.

"And it filled the whole house where they were sitting." Ponder the unbounded liberality of the Divine Spirit which left nothing void in His gifts. "The earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea." (Isa. 11:9) Although they were all filled, yet one received more than another in proportion to his capacity. Hence the Blessed Virgin received more than all the rest. Enlarge, therefore, your heart, that you may deserve to receive a large proportion of His divine gifts. "Open thy mouth," He says by the Royal Psalmist, "and I will fill it." (Ps. 80:11)

III.

"And there appeared to them cloven tongues as it were of fire." (Acts 2:3) The Holy Ghost appeared in the shape of fiery tongues, "because," as St. Gregory remarks, "those whom He replenishes He renders both fervent and eloquent." Desire Him to produce both effects in you, the first for your own good, and the second for the benefit and edification of others.

DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST. II.

I.

"And they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak." (Acts 2:4) Ponder the greatness of the miracle: poor ignorant fishermen begin to speak the languages of all nations. These languages were not employed upon trifles, but upon the great wonders which Christ had performed for all mankind. In the same manner those who are influenced by the Divine Spirit always speak of divine things, for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matt. 12:34) See, therefore, whether or not "thy speech doth discover thee" (Matt. 22:73), as his did the timid Peter, to be unpracticed "in the things of God."

II.

"The multitude came together and was confounded in mind." (Acts 2:6) Some believed in the Doctrines of the Apostles, whilst others derided them, and said: "These men are full of new wine." There will never be wanting those in the world who will ridicule good actions; but not on that account ought you to desist from pursuing the career of virtue. Beseech our Lord that you may imbibe the same spirit which the Apostle did. "He who is inebriated with the love of God," observes St. Bernard, "knows the relish of Jesus Christ; O how happy is that man whom He satiates; there is nothing left for him to desire."

III.

Consider the effects which the presence of the Holy Ghost produces in the soul. "Be filled," says St. Paul, "with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord." (Eph. 5:18) Excite in yourself those feelings which prompted that line of conduct in those to whom the Apostle wrote.

GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST. I.

I.

The Divine Spirit, who does not stand in need of our exertions, bestows, nevertheless, His most precious gifts on those who are disposed to receive them. "These gifts are," as the Angel of the Schools teaches, "certain habits which enable a man to follow promptly the instinct of the Holy Ghost, chiefly in relation to noble and heroic actions." These gifts are, according to Isaiah, seven: "The spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness, and the spirit of the fear of our Lord." (Isa. 11:2)

II.

These gifts supply us with spiritual armor to protect and aid us in all our infirmities. "The spirit," says St. Paul, "also helpeth our infirmity." (Rom. 8:26) "Therefore," writes St. Gregory, "He gives us wisdom to counteract our folly; understanding, our dullness; counsel, our rashness; fortitude, our fear; knowledge, our ignorance; piety, our indevotion; and the fear of God, our pride."

III.

How frequently you are subject to all these infirmities; how frequently you prefer time to eternity; how sluggish you are in things that relate to the service of God; how fearful you are in the least difficulty; how rash in your determinations; how ignorant of spiritual things; and how indevout; and lastly, how little you have the fear of God before your eyes. Beseech the Divine Spirit to arm you with this shield of seven-fold strength, and say with the Church: "Come, O Divine Spirit, and send forth the rays of your light."

GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST. II.

I.

We are not only provided with means of overcoming our infirmities by the gifts of the Holy Ghost, but these same gifts provide us with the power of performing all good actions. Wisdom helps us to understand the perfections of God, and contemplate them with feeling affection. Understanding enables us to penetrate the mysteries of faith, and ponder the secrets that are concealed in them. Knowledge gives us the power of contemplating with profit all created things, inasmuch as they come from God and lead to Him.

II.

We are helped by Counsel in our doubts and anxieties; "for the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain" (Wis. 9:14); "and the heart fancieth as that of a woman in travail, except it be a vision sent from the Most High.". (Ecclus. 34;6) And because it is dangerous to trust to ourselves, by the gift of Counsel we are induced to suffer ourselves to be governed by others, especially superiors and directors. "Establish within thyself a heart of good counsel," for "the soul of a holy man discovereth true things more than seven watchmen who sit in a high place to watch." (Ecclus. 17:18)

III.

By Fortitude, we are encouraged to undergo every difficulty which stands between us and heaven, and to resist those who wish to make us deviate from virtue, even to death. By Piety, we are taught to act as children towards our superiors, as mothers towards our inferiors, and as brethren towards our equals. Lastly, The Fear of God "hateth evil " (Prov. 8:13), and preserves us from every sin, because "he that feareth God neglecteth nothing." (Ecclus. 7:19) Therefore, beg these gifts of God, "Who giveth to all abundantly." (James 1:5)

FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST.

I.

The Holy Ghost resembles a large tree, whose top reaches heaven and whose branches extend over the whole world. "The fruit of the Divine Spirit," says the Apostle, "is charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity." (Gal. 5:22) These are the effects which the presence of the Holy Ghost in the soul produces. Admire the goodness and purity of God, who does not disdain to make poor man sensible of His presence by producing in his soul these fruits of holiness.

II.

Examine whether you be possessed by the spirit of God, and whether you partake of His fruits; for it is written in the sacred volume: "By their fruits you shall know them." (Matt. 7:16) Examine, therefore, how charitable you are; how patient, mild, and modest. If you be destitute of these virtues, you are a stranger to the Holy Ghost. Learn to appreciate these fruits, and beg God to make you acquainted with them. Remember the admonition of St. Paul: "If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit." (Gal. 5:25) The Holy Ghost cannot exist in our souls without displaying Himself in our external actions.

III.

One of the principal dispositions requisite for our receiving the Holy Ghost, is to cherish a pure intention of serving God in all things, for His own sake, and not from worldly respects; "for," as the Wise Man says, "the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful." (Wis. 1:5) Endeavor, therefore, to please God in all things, and conform yourself to the discipline requisite for your calling or situation, and do not suffer this conformity to be an effort of the exterior man only, but sanctify it with purity of intention.

THE LIFE WHICH THE HOLY GHOST INSPIRED THE FIRST CHRISTIANS TO LEAD.

I.

"They were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42) By these three means is our spiritual life preserved and nourished: 1. By hearing or reading the word of God. 2. By frequenting the Sacraments, and particularly the Sacrament of the Altar. 3. By continued prayer. These were the means that the first Christians employed to increase in virtue and perfection, and by these alone can you hope to emulate their example.

II.

They lived in common. "All they that believed were together, and had all things common." (Acts 2:44) Their charity and mutual concord were most exemplary. "The multitude of the believers had but one heart and one soul." Their evangelical poverty was most extraordinary. "As many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the price of the things they sold and laid it down before the feet of the Apostles." (Acts 34:35) "Neither did any one of them say that of the things which he possessed anything was his own, but all things were common to them."

III.

"They were continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house" (as well the Eucharistic Bread in Communion, as common bread in hospitality), "they took their meat with joy and simplicity of heart, praising God together, and having favor with all the people." (Acts 2:46) Alas, how we ought to blush when we compare our manner of living and our general conduct with theirs. Let us imitate their example; for we have the same God to serve that they had, and we hope to enjoy their company in heaven.